A Summons’s Destiny Book 1 On hold sorry
by Senshi of Earth
Summary: When Mina goes down to her basement she finds herself in a whole new world, making friends along the way, she will discover her true destiny Book 1 of 4
1. 1 The story begins

~A Summons's Destiny~  
  
~CHAPTER 1~  
  
  
  
Mina Slovaks slowly walked down to the basement of her new house. Her sliver tennis shoes made a soft padding noise against the stone hard steps. She moved her hand along the wall to find the light switch, but when she did and pushed it on, the lights only flashed off. She cursed as she searched blindly through the dark for her mom's shoes. There were footsteps and she could swear that someone was with her.  
  
"Who is there?" She asked the darkness boldly but inside she was trembling with fear. Silence was her only answer, so she kept on searching for her mothers missing shoes. A crash was heard and she turned to be looking into blood red eyes. She slowly backed away from the eyes but for every step she took, the eyes took the same.  
  
"W-Who are you?" She stuttered to the mystery being. The being took a step closer and she could feel its warm breath, and she started to tremble. A cold hand brushed across her face as she heard the words, "Don't worry little one, I am not your enemy unless you want me to be." Her breath was caught as a man stepped out into the moonlight that was streaming from the small basement window. He still had the intense blood red eyes that were watching her every movement, but he had long white blond hair, and a stone cold face, and to her surprise, he had a sliver tail. He stepped to her and held her close coming down to kiss her. Right as his lips touched hers, everything went black.  
  
Mina could only guess that she fell on her head as she slowly tried to get up. No luck as she fell right back down from some unknown force.  
  
"Uh, where am I?" She sighed as she slowly opened her eyes. She looked right into eyes of a soft green, and her breath was caught. In those eyes, she could see excitement and surprise, plus a hint of sorrow. The eyes blinked a little and suddenly backed away into the shadows. She could hear footsteps going a little away and than a match being lit. She could not help but try to look at who, or what, the owner was of those beautiful eyes. The room suddenly lit up with candlelight, and Mina could just feel her eyes, in a millisecond, contract and get used to the change in light.  
  
"You're on the Prima Vista, which could be a good thing, or a bad thing." A voice said from across the room. Mina slowly moved he head to look over to the door to see the cutest guy she had ever laid eyes on. He had dirty blond hair chopped and placed messily upon his head; a sword handled dagger in a holder connected to his belt, and a fuzzy blond tail. He had a green vest over a white top that did not even cover his shoulders, and blue jeans. Gray gloves were on his hands, added on the ends were big blue cuffs and he wore shabby old boots. He had a lopsided grin on his face as he looked across the room at her. She could feel the blush creep to her face as she looked away towards a mirror.  
  
She looked at herself and smiled. Her hair was still down to her shoulders and very straight. Instead of her normal black hair, it was a slivery color and her dark green eyes went well with it, and upon her forehead was a horn. It was like a unicorn's, silvery and shiny, but it was about two inches long and very sharp. She looked at it for a second before passing over to look back at the guy.  
  
"Who may I ask are you?" She said trying to be very polite, but failing miserably, the Prima Vista thing she was on was freaking her out.  
  
"Oh! I am Zidane, Zidane Tribal. And I was the one who found you." He answered with a bow; his tail swishing right to left behind him. She tried to hold back a giggle and slowly moved to her feet. She stumbled a little and found herself in Zidane's arms.  
  
"You should rest, you had quite a fall and I think you hit your head hard." He soothed as he picked her up and set he back on the bed. She looked into his eyes before falling into a dreamless slumber.  
  
Zidane slid down a pole to the lower deck of the flying ship, the Prima Vista. He headed for boss's room and slowly knocked on the door. First he knocked once, twice, than three times and still no answer. Therefore, he slowly opened the door into the dark room. He sneaked to the middle and lit a huge candle. The room lit up, it was very shabby and looked to be a storage room, and it was filled with so many boxes.  
  
"Who goes there!" A scruff voice yelled from behind a hidden door. Zidane walked to his right to a very old door and tried to turn the knob, he found that it was locked.  
  
"Open up Cinna, it is me, Zidane!" He yelled as the door flew open and nearly hit his noes.  
  
"Oops Zidane, I didn't think it was you, I thought you were tending to that cute babe!" Cinna answered in his scruff low voice. Zidane only stared at one of his best friends.  
  
"Sorry to burst your bubble, Cinna, but you have no chance with that girl, I mean she has to be high class if she has a horn!" Another male voice said from behind the stubby Cinna. Than Blank, Zidane's first and best friend stepped out from behind Cinna. He had a metal plate covering his eyes, and choppy red hair. Cinna had a metal baker's hat and was very chubby for a nineteen-year-old. Zidane and Blank are both seventeen.  
  
"Hey, guess I am late, or are you guys just early?" The sixteen-year-old Marcus said from the door. He had on a red bandana and a blue pirate coat.  
  
"No, your right on time for once Marcus, lets get this meeting started." Zidane sighed as everyone gathered into the small hidden room Cinna and Blank were hiding earlier in.  
  
Mina opened her eyes right as she heard the door click shut. She looked around to see that Zidane was gone. She suddenly got a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach and groaned out, "Oh my god! I am on a ship!" She felt her stomach do a few flip-flops and she could swear that her face turned a shade of green. Running over to the open window, her heart stopped. They were flying, over an open field, and she was on a ship. She could not bare looking out the window, and needed to sit down, so she went over to the small bed. Her hand brushed across a silk like fabric she must have missed when she got up. She felt very doubtful that she would like the clothing it turned out to be but she tried it on anyway.  
  
The clothing fit her perfectly, and it turned out to be very comfortable. She wore a dark blue blouse that had long, airy sleeves that were clipped at the wrist with a bracelet like thing; it went down to about mid waste and covered the top of semi-short shorts. Dark blue knee-high boots finished the simple outfit. She had on black gloves just like Zidane's, but had smaller blue cuffs. Her cloths were made of a soft silk and seemed to be brand new. She looked in the mirror and noticed that they were traveling or maybe even fighting cloths. She tried to rip the silk but it was very strong. Her horn suddenly started to glow and a gold chain materialized on her neck. A small, smooth coin was dangling on the end. Holding it up for closer view, she noticed the words "Follow the Zodiac" inscribed into the coin. Small hoop earrings materialized into her ears and they just made her outfit perfect. She felt like she needed more to protect her but just let that thought slip from her mind. She smiled and wanted to find company so she headed for the old door that Zidane had left from earlier. Right as she reached for the knob it turned and the door opened suddenly, and Mina saw a huge black figure standing in the doorway. She gasped in fear as its body emerged.  
  
  
  
I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, what will happen next? Will Mina be able to defend herself if this creature attacks? Well you will find out with the next chapter, I SWARE!! 


	2. 2 Dragons and Gates

..:: Right as she reached for the knob it turned and the door opened suddenly, and Mina saw a huge black figure standing in the doorway. She gasped in fear as its body emerged ::..  
  
An enormous man stood at the door, towering over her. A stone blue dragon head and neck covered his face, and the dragons red eyes stared at her, hungrily. She stood straight, trying to look brave, but flinched as a loud roar escaped from its lips. It lunged at her and she barely moved out of the way as it slammed against to bed, sending a cloud of smoke into the cabin. 'Now's my chance!' Mina thought as she ran out the door and turned down the hall. Her silver hair whipped her face as she turned around in horror. The dragon had slammed into the wall right on the opposite side of the door, and now had turned to be looking at her. It let out a blood curdling roar as it ran towards her, and she turned and ran for her life. She laughed when she looked around her shoulder, the dragon was a good deal behind her, and she had plenty of time to give it the slip. She turned a corner and slipped into a nook, hiding her in darkness. Her breath was caught as the dragon man ran down the hall past her, and smiled when she went down the main hall to go find Zidane and get out of here.  
  
"Ruby, go get the girl, she should be awake by now." Zidane sighed as he tapped his fingers impatiently on the table that took up half the space of the small room. They still needed the boss, or Baku, to show up so the meeting could start.  
  
"Y'all should be 'appy that I am doin' this for you, oh let me guess, ya sugers want me to find Baku too?" Ruby complained sarcastically in her southern accent. She had on a white, low cut blouse, and a green skirt that had been held up with a belt at her belly button. Her shoes were light pink sandals and she wore white tights. Her green bandana like hat only covered the left side of her head and her hair was died a bright blue. She had on soft velvet gloves that only covered her hands and wrists. Her light gray eyes scanned the faces of the four teenagers in front of her.  
  
"Sure" They all chimed together. She screamed and stormed off, slamming the door behind her. They all looked at each other, and than bursts out laughing.  
  
Mina slid down an old pole and found what she was looking for. She was in a very small hallway and to her right was a large door. She heard a loud noise from above her and she turned just in time to see the dragon jump down right in front of her. She smiled sweetly and ran towards the door. It started to chase after her as she swung the door open. Right as it got to the door, she slammed it shut in its face. The dragon man pounded on the locked door for a few moments before it got silent. She sighed and turned to look at the room. She looked around, passed over a few weapons, and looked over at the two doors on opposite sides of the room. One door suddenly opened and she screamed.  
  
"Hey, chill out we just came to see what the racket was, oh it is you." Zidane sighed as he stepped out of the room. Three other guys followed out from behind him.  
  
"Oh is this her?" Blank asked Zidane, "nice to meet you, I am Blank" He bowed and gave her a sweet smile. She blushed and smiled back, she only wished he did not have that metal belt thing over his eyes.  
  
"I never did say my name before to you Zidane, did I? Well I am Mina, Mina Slovaks. I just appeared here from my basement in New York, please don't ask." Mina sighed as she slipped down to her knees, "Oh, and a big dragon man is chasing me and is right outside in the hall. So I'll just let you guys handle it." They all stood there staring at her, their mouths hung open.  
  
"Ya gotta be fibbing to us." Cinna answered as he smiled sweetly at her. Suddenly the door smashed open and the dragon man loomed over everyone. It jumped down to everyone and let out a roar. Zidane pushed Mina, who had stood up in surprise, behind him as he pulled out twin daggers. Blank smiled sadly at his mistake in believing the girl and pulled out a sword.  
  
"Looks like we will have to fight, right guys?" Marcus laughed as he pulled out a wide sword.  
  
"Just don't forget to steal!" Cinna responded as he pulled his lucky hammer out.  
  
"Just stay behind me" Zidane whispered to Mina as the four men lunged into battle.  
  
Cinna started to steal from the monster and smiled as he found a potion from the beast.  
  
"I got somthin', so you guys go and smash the man ta pieces!" He yelled as he ran back a safe distance. Mina noticed the strain in the man's body and realized something. As the three others started to attack, they could not even deal damage. The mask was controlling the man, she sighed at the mistake she made.  
  
"Hey, go for the mask!" She yelled.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Marcus yelled getting ready to attack.  
  
"Just trust me, you'll see, I was right before, wasn't I?" She giggled as they all stared at her.  
  
"Let's give it a try!" Zidane yelled as he swiped for the mask. He cut it right in half, and out emerged a man with goggles on his head.  
  
" Ow, Ow, OW! Take it easy will you guys!" He yelled while he clutched his head.  
  
"Boss!" All four of the guys yelled as they fell on the floor.  
  
"Well I thought you guys were--- Hello, are you the girl I chased? I am the boss of this thief crew, but you can call me Baku!" He came over and took her had, and than kissed it, "Welcome to Tantalus." He walked into the small room and called for the guys to come in. Zidane stayed behind with Mina.  
  
"You were great." Mina said as she looked over to Zidane.  
  
"You were too, you know. If it weren't for you we could have killed Boss, or he could have killed us." He responded to her.  
  
"hey, why didn't you guys hear all the noise and come help?" She said angrily glaring at him. However, he just looked at her and she sighed.  
  
  
  
"You look really good in those cloths, I think I made the right choice." He told her, changing the subject drastically. Mina just snorted and turned away.  
  
"Hey! You two coming or not?" Blank yelled sticking his head out the door. Mina smiled and walked over to blank and said, "Got any jobs for me?" Blank stared and smiled.  
  
"Zidane can train you to be a thief, all you have to do is stay by his side and help him kidnap the princess!" He turned and went back into the room.  
  
"A-A thief?" Mina stuttered. Zidane walked over to her and put his arm around her, pulling her close.  
  
"You'll do fine," He paused to touch her horn, and she felt a tingling sensation, "First-er-we need to find your power. Hmm." He pulled his arm away and walked over to a trunk. Rummaging through it, he brought out two square shape doohickeys. He brought them over to her and placed them in her hands. Suddenly her gloves became metal and connected themselves to the squares. The squares suddenly started to glow and the word zodiac appeared before vanishing. Zidane never saw it, only Mina had.  
  
"Well looks like they fit perfectly. We never used them, they were for Ruby." He paused before saying, "Well lets see what you got."  
  
"I never have fought before, let alone with these."She trailed off, not knowing what to call these weapons.  
  
"They are called Gates of power. You never know, you could discover something about yourself that you never knew." He smiled before pulling out one of his daggers. Mina closed he eyes in concentration and the Gates started to shine a sliver color.  
  
"What only one?" She smiled as she crossed her arms at her chest.  
  
"Just to let you know, every weapon is used different, it depends on the person using it. I for one never saw any one use those, they are very rare and you should feel lucky" he commented watching her every move in wonder. She smiled and she pulled her Gates in a swift X motion to her sides that it sent out a blast of energy, throwing Zidane back a few steps.  
  
"Uh, I think you have the hang of it. Now I need to tell you how your gonna help us steal the princess." He smiled as she looked at him, very confused.  
  
I am really enjoying this, hope you are too. Just to let you know early, I don't like how Eiko is like only 6, so I am going to make her 13 so she is taller, and Vivi is gonna be 13 and a little taller. I just don't really like how small they are. Also, in most fights there my be five people fighting because I think that Mina should be in most fights. Read on dear readers! ;P 


	3. Just a little note

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that I changed my pen name, as you can see. I really didn't like my last one, oh another chapter will be coming soon, and I think this story might have a lot of chapters, so I am going to try to make them longer, I hope! 


	4. 3 The easy kidnapping

..::"Just to let you know, every weapon is used different, it depends on the person using it. I for one never saw any one use those, they are very rare and you should feel lucky" he commented watching her every move in wonder. She smiled and she pulled her Gates in a swift X motion to her sides that it sent out a blast of energy, throwing Zidane back a few steps. "Uh, I think you have the hang of it. Now I need to tell you how your gonna help us steal the princess." He smiled as she looked at him, very confused::..  
  
Zidane explained the plan they had of how to kidnap the princess. He told how they would put on the play "I Want To Be Your Canary". They would put the princess asleep, and how they would disguise as knights, but Mina didn't understand where she fit in.  
  
"Your job is to go in to the castle while Blank and I do the fight scene. When you go in you must get two Pluto knight's uniforms for us, and a female solder uniform for you. Got it?" Zidane asked her while they sat I the chairs around the candle.  
  
"Yeah, if your acting than I guess that means I have to help." She looked at him for an answer.  
  
"You have to help get the princess with me and Blank, so be ready to run, or even fight, with guards."  
  
"Ok I got it, so I need to bring my gates?"  
  
"Yup! We are almost there so get ready."  
  
Mina sat and watched every one set up while they got ready to land by the castle. Earlier she got to meet Ruby and could tell that they would be fast friends. Ruby acted likes a brat towards the guys sometimes, but on the inside, she was very nice. She hated to fight and pushed all her skills into acting. Mina couldn't help but envy her; she could make so many friends. She sat thinking about her job when suddenly a figure covered in white caught her eye. She looked over to see a person in a white robe with the hood up looking down at the stage. The sleeves covered her arms and hands, and the rob went down to the knees. Red triangles bordered the openings.  
  
"Would you look at that, a white mage robe. Fascinating." Marcus said walking by her. Mina watched as the robed figure turned and left the balcony it was standing on and went inside the castle. Mina suddenly got a feeling like she was being watched and turned to see a man in armor walking towards her. She got up from her sitting position at the edge of the stage and turned towards him.  
  
"Hello miss, I am Captain Adelbert Steiner of the Pluto Knights. I wish you and your fellow actors good luck in the performance tonight. Let's hope it is very good so the queen may enjoy it." The knight said with a bow. Mina noticed all of the rust on his armor but kept a straight face.  
  
"Yes, I believe she will enjoy it very much. It has been nice to meet you and thanks for the good luck but I must go. Good day." Mina said cheerfully and turned to leave. The knight just looked after her and suddenly noticed the horn on her head; he turned and left to go find his knights. Mina could tell that the mage person was very important, and that they would meet again. She looked around and suddenly saw a shining coin. 'Today must be my lucky day' She thought, but right as she reached for it a rat boy grabbed it and ran, and followed was a boy with a big hat and a black face. She sighed and turned for the ship.  
  
Marcus ran up to King Leo and prepared for battle. "Free Cornelia at once!" He yelled at the king. Suddenly Zidane, Cinna and Blank appeared at his side.  
  
"We have come to help. There was no way we would let you do this alone." Zidane yelled so the crowd on spectators could hear him clearly.  
  
"No! This is my battle, leave this to me." Marcus yelled back.  
  
"Marcus, he killed my brother, I must fight!" Cinna said as they charged into battle. They got rid of the guards easily and used special effects to keep the crowd at the edge of their seats. The battle ended with the defeat of King Leo, and the king fled to safety. Zidane followed him, but was blocked by Blank.  
  
"Move out of my way!" Zidane yelled.  
  
"Never! If Princess Cornelia married Prince Schneider, than peace will come." Blank scouted back. They fought and Mina took that as a sign to start into the castle. She easily found the guards and pulled them into a room to knock them out. She slipped on her suit. The gloves were huge on her, and she had on a tight leotard thing. The upper half that covered her breast was metal, and the lower half was a dark green. Her boots look big but fit perfectly. The helmet was a big metal ball with a hole at her face, and a light silver bar made it so you couldn't see her eyes. She had a shield in her right hand and connected her gates in her sword belt. When Zidane and Blank entered the room, they jumped into fighting positions. When they saw her hair, they thought to ask, "Mina?"  
  
"Yeah, it is me. Get the suits on and let's go!" She walked past them and waited outside so they could change. When they stepped out, they were in regular knight uniforms. Blank looked over to her side pockets and gasped.  
  
"You gave her the Gates? Are you sure that's smart Zidane?" Mina smiled and walked up to him.  
  
"You want me to show you how I use them?" She asked icily, and he just shuddered.  
  
They walked around for a moment, and Blank left to go give the drugged tea to the queen. Mina and Zidane just sat outside and starred at the solders. Mina suddenly got a tugging feeling from her horn and turned towards a large staircase.  
  
"Um, Zidane," She said tugging at his armor, "Let's go up the steps."  
  
"Yeah, good idea. I princess could be there." He mumbled as the walked side by side up the curved staircase. When they reached the top, he added, "Let me go first we never know what could be up there." He walked up to a large set of wooden doors, and jumped as the doorknob wiggled to life. He bumped into Mina and she fell on her behind, she glared daggers at him but he ignored her. He kept staring at the door as it swung open and the girl in the white mage cloak ran out and bumped into him, causing him to fall over right next to Mina. "I am so sorry." The girl said and Mina looked right into her eyes.  
  
"Have we meet?" Mina whispered but the girl just turned and ran down the steps.  
  
"That was the Princess!" Zidane yelled jumping to his feet, than pulling Mina up to hers.  
  
"You go follow her, and I'll go to the ship and wait for you two!" She responded pushing him towards the stairs, "Good luck"  
  
Zidane just smiled and ran down the stairs. Mina walked over to the other side of the hall and looked down to see Zidane running after the princess. After backing up a few steps, she ran and jumped off to land on the ground floor with a slam. She got he balance and turned to slam right into Blank.  
  
"Where is Zidane?" Blank questioned her, fear evident in his voice.  
  
"He went after the runaway princess, why?" Mina responded.  
  
"We got to go," He grabbed her wrist and started to pull her towards the room with their close, "They found out about our plan." He pulled her into the room and shoved he towards the pile in the corner.  
  
"Do they know about Tantalus? Are they gonna arrest them?" She asked worried as she picked up the pile.  
  
"They didn't connect the two, but we need to get back to the safety of the Prima Vista, now." He whispered as he peered out the door and to the hall.  
  
"Lets just go, and if we get caught, run, I mean we are in disguise right. We can just say we are looking for the." She was cut off when he put his hand on her mouth.  
  
"Don't talk beyond this point unless I signal you to, trust me you will know." He pulled her out into the hall and they ran outside and towards the Prima Vista.  
  
"Nice job, what happened?" Mina asked when they got inside a room in the ship.  
  
"Lets just say one of the jesters got hungry and drank from it before the queen did, and they found out that I was a fake when he fell to the floor in a deep sleep." He chuckled dryly as he came out of the little room that separated him from her. He had on his original close but instead of the metal plate he had on a belt that covered his eyes . "How could you see through those metal and belt things?" Mina asked as she started to walk into the room to change. Blank tossed his armor he stole onto a couch and turned towards her.  
  
"It's magic" He winked and she just laughed and went to change.  
  
Zidane stopped when he reached the top of the endless tower. Standing at the edge was the princess, smiling, and her back turned towards the ground. She took a step back and fell as he ran and looked over the edge. He grabbed a rope that was nearby and jumped after her. They both landed on a sail of the Prima Vista and she ran into a room, bumping into Ruby.  
  
"Oh my, Yo'r tha' little princess!" Ruby yelled, and Zidane walked in.  
  
"Keep it down, A knight might come." He mumbled. She just bumped past Ruby and ran down the stairs that were at the other side of the room. Zidane followed and bumped into her at the bottom of the stairs. She pulled down her hood to reveal her true self.  
  
"I, Princess Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th was wondering if you would assist me by kidnapping me? I want to make it short so can you?" She smiled. Zidane studied her for a moment. She had the blue eyes, long black hair held back in a clip and was the same age as the princess, but she wanted to be kidnapped! That surprised him, and he still was able to say, "Yea, sure."  
  
"Well than lets." She paused as she was pulled into the room where Zidane had fought Baku earlier.  
  
"Go?" He finished for her as she looked around the room. The door suddenly burst open behind them and Blank, Cinna, and Mina ran into the room. Blank and Cinna stopped when they saw the princess but Mina just brushed past her and stopped right in front of Zidane.  
  
"That rusty guard." Mina started to complain. "You mean Steiner?" Garnet corrected her.  
  
"Who cares his name."  
  
"Rusty? That's good!" Zidane suddenly laughed aloud.  
  
"You better listen." Blank sighed and Zidane stopped laughing.  
  
"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Rusty is on his way with a guard. Blank already said he would go and fake as a guard to stall time. We just need to hide you until the play." Mina whispered as she turned to the princess, "When I first saw you on the balcony, I could just tell you were very important. I am Mina Slovaks, I always wanted to meet a princess!" Garnet smiled and shook Mina's hand.  
  
"You have never seen a prince or princess?" Garnet asked curiosity. Blank had slipped out of the room some time ago and Zidane was about to fall asleep. Cinna just gripped his hammer and watched the doors.  
  
"Well you see princess, I am from a different world, or so I think." Mina simply stated. Garnet gasped and Zidane and Cinna both looked over to the silver haired girl.  
  
"Oh really, from your horn I thought you were from Maiden Sari."  
  
"Where? No. I am from a planet called Earth, and a country called the United States of America. We don't have Royalty but we have a president. People really make the choices." Mina turned to notice how everyone was staring at her, "What?" A huge banging sound came from the door and they all looked around and ran to the other side of the room.  
  
"Open up, we need to search for the princess!" They smiled as they heard Blanks voice, and right as they ran into a different room the door slammed off its joints.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
"It is Steiner! Keep running!" Garnet yelled. Mina let out a cry as they got at a dead end.  
  
"Don't worry, Zidane you get on number two with the princess, Mina take number four to the roof, and watch for and air attacks! I'll get number one!" Cinna yelled.  
  
"Gotcha!" Mina smiled as she jumped on the number four. The roof slid away and the four circles flew up through the circle into darkness.  
  
"Open up!" It was Steiner and the door flew open.  
  
"Go now!" Cinna yelled as they both jumped on the numbers and flew upwards. Then Steiner and the knight with him jumped on the number three and flew upwards.  
  
As they got to the top Zidane and Garnet found themselves on the stage.  
  
"Cornelia!" Marcus yelled and Garnet jumped back into Zidane.  
  
"Just act, trust me, you'll do fine." Zidane said and Garnet acted her best and she fell dead right as Steiner came to the stage.  
  
"Nooooooo!"  
  
Vivi Orunitia ran up the side of the stage and away from the guards. He was a black mage, and his whole face is covered in darkness from his overly big hat. His bright yellow eyes are the only things that shine under the hat. His baggy pants a striped white and sea green, and a blue old jacket with big white gloves cover the rest of his body. Small red shoes finish his old outfit.  
  
"Stay away or I will shoot!" He yelled as he summoned a fireball to throw them. He slowly backed up and turned to run, but tripped and fell, throwing the fireball at princess Garnet. It hit her hood, the cloak caught on fire, and she jumped up tearing the hood off. The whole crowd gasped as they looked at the princess, and the queen was very angry.  
  
"Princess, I must ask we leave immediately!" Steiner yelled.  
  
"Zidane!" Mina yelled after witnessing the whole thing, "We need to leave or the queen will blow up the ship right hear and now!" He nodded and they pushed off the docks and in the air. Cannons were being fired everywhere and suddenly when they got out of range, they fired a huge missile. Mina was holding on for dear life on the roof and suddenly she fell and was heading straight towards the stage. She waited for the impact but it never came, instead she landed in a pair of warm, strong arms. Zidane looked over to see that Mina had fell, but could not make it in time. He stared at her as someone ran out and caught her. It was the knight.  
  
  
  
I am so sorry if I am off and am not using any of the games dialogue. My first disk is broken or something and it won't start a new game so I can't do anything. I hope you are enjoying it so far, and warning. I just can't stand to have one new character! Sorry it took so long to put up, I am really trying to make the chapters longer. :P Love ya all!! 


	5. 4 Evil Forest

I have decided that Vivi will be 11, and a little bigger but still small, and Eiko will be about nine and the same size. Vivi was nine in the game and Eiko was six. Enjoy the story!  
  
..::Mina was holding on for dear life on the roof and suddenly she fell and was heading straight towards the stage. She waited for the impact but it never came, instead she landed in a pair of warm, strong arms. Zidane looked over to see that Mina had fell, but could not make it in time. He stared at her as someone ran out and caught her. It was the knight::..  
  
"You better watch it, you could get hurt." The knight chuckled and Mina opened her eyes to look in his face. The only thing she could see that wasn't covered in metal was his eyes, which were a dark blue, almost black color. He smiled down at her as he gently set her on her feet. He was about an inch taller than she was.  
  
"Thanks, I guess you just saved my life." She responded as she looked over at the battle that she longed to participate in, and she looked back at the knight. Blank, Vivi, Zidane, and strangely the princess were fighting "Rusty" and a huge red bomb with eyes that was getting bigger by the moment. The princess and Vivi both were holding staffs. Vivi was sending magic out at "Rusty" (AN: I just love writing that!!) and Garnet was healing the group. She smiled at him and was about to say something when she heard the words, "The bomb, its going to explode! Get cover!" She turned and was pulled into the knight's chest, and his strong arms held her close. The whole ship rocked with the explosion of the bomb. Mina was again thrown out of the ship, but this time she was accompanied by someone else. Zidane ran off the edge of the Prima Vista and looked over to see Mina and the knight fly into the darkness of the Evil Forest. Than he realized that they too were heading for the forest, but they were going to crash.  
  
  
  
"Umm, what happened?" Mina said as she slowly opened an eye. She suddenly opened the other and noticed she was in a forest with very little light. She moaned and closed her eyes guessing it was only a dream.  
  
"You're in the Evil Forest, no one has ever made it out alive." She opened her eyes again and sat up, every bone in her body ached in the process. She looked over to see the knight.  
  
"Did we fall?" She asked him, and noticed he was leaning over a tree stump.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How long was I out?"  
  
"About a few minutes. You might want to drink from this." Her eyes finally focused and she looked at the huge, hollow tree stump. Its center had water and mushrooms, which glowed with an iridescent light. The water seeped out a little hole and drained into the soggy ground. She slowly got up and moved over next to him, giving him a look.  
  
"Don't worry, I am not trying to kill you. This water will heal you." He said as he laughed for a moment.  
  
"That still doesn't give me a reason to trust you." She said with a sigh and put her hands in the little stream that was going towards the ground. She drank and felt he whole body become cleansed and all her pain go away.  
  
"Thanks, what is it, the third time you saved me?" She smiled and he just laughed and looked down at her.  
  
"I think I am becoming connected to you, like a friend."  
  
"Well for now lets just be friends," She paused and let out a laugh, "A knight and a thief in training friends, who knew."  
  
"Deal." He said putting out his hand. She took it and noticed how, again, she could feel his body heat through the metal. She pulled back from his hand as she just realized something.  
  
"Did you say no one has made it out of here alive." She whimpered as a response to his look. He just laughed aloud.  
  
  
  
Zidane crawled out of the remains of the great Prima Vista and looked around. He looked around to see that Vivi, Steiner, Garnet, and Mina were missing. He knew that Mina was with the knight, and she did know how to fight if anything happened. He just worried about the other three. The Evil Forest wasn't named that just for fun. He suddenly saw movement behind a tree and looked to see a moogle. Moogles' were very wise creatures for how cute they look. They are about a foot and a half tall, all light pink, have small purple wings like a bat's, and have a little antenna that has a red puff ball on the tip. Moogles' love to send mail in the system called Mognet.  
  
"Well hello passer by, I never thought I would see a human here. I am Mosco. If you want to buy anything just ask or you can rest in a tent, and even heal a party!" Mosco said with glee as his purple wings flapped joyously.  
  
"No I was just gonna go into the woods. Let me buy armor." Zidane said as he bought armor and put it on. At least he would be safer if he ended up fighting anything. He set off into the swampy woods to find everyone. As he ran he heard a scream that he could easily guess was the princesses and ran into a small clearing. He saw a huge plant like monster with vines as a cage holding the princess hostage, and he ran over to Vivi.  
  
"Help her Zidane." He said as he watched Steiner get ready for battle. Zidane ran up next to Steiner and suddenly got angry at the monster.  
  
"You monster!" He yelled and suddenly his whole body lit up in a white light.  
  
"What happened! Could it be.Trance!" Steiner yelled in amazement.  
  
"I don't know. Something just snapped inside."  
  
"Well use this to our advantage because that thing is sucking the princess's HP!" He yelled. They both attacked and Zidane noticed how his strength was bigger, and that he could cause more damage in Trance. They soon caused enough damage for the monster to run away, but it took the princess with it.  
  
"I am so sorry, I couldn't help at all." Vivi said walking to where the monster was once standing.  
  
"Look out." Steiner yelled as Vivi was picked up in the cage and the monster attacked again, Garnet was nowhere in site. Vivi sent out a wave of fire in the monster, and noticed how it was effecting it.  
  
"Magic looks effective." He cheered as he sent more flames and Zidane stole from the monster. He pulled out a Broadsword and smiled. Steiner just kept on swiping at it. It soon let Vivi go, but sent out a poison gases, sending the heroes' into unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
"Well were are all healed and made up, so now what!" Mina yelled after walking around in circles for five minutes. The knight looked at her amused before saying, "You aren't very patient are you? You act like a bunny rabbit."  
  
"I beg your pardon! How dare you-you jerk!" She turned and started to walk over to a path. He jumped up and grabbed her wrist before she got to the path.  
  
"It wouldn't be smart to go that way Rabbit." He said laughing as he pushed her back to the center of the clearing.  
  
"Let go of me." She said pulling her wrist from his grip, "And don't call me that. My name is.I never told you my name did I? And you never told me yours." She sat down and a small root that was out of the ground.  
  
"I think I like the name Rabbit, or maybe bunny." She smiled at her as she turned red with anger.  
  
"Rabbit is fine, but my name is Mina and I insist you call me that."  
  
"No!"  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"No, Mina is a lovely name, but Rabbit suits me fine thank you." He looked down and her as she suddenly lunged at him. He turned out of the way and ran down a different path than the one Mina would have taken.  
  
"Get back here!" Mina yelled chasing after him. He just laughed and started in a sprint, looking back every so often to see if she was still following. When he got into a straight path that was right by the exit, he stopped causing Mina to run into him and send them rolling down the semi- hill and out into the bright sunlight. When they stopped, he ended up on top of her. Her hair was spread all around her, she looked up at him into his eyes, and he looked down into hers. They were lost in the moment and he slowly inched down towards her lips. Right as he was millimeters away she realized what was happening and said, "Oh my god, we got out!" She rolled out from under him, causing him to fall flat on his face and she stood up with her arm spread wide welcoming the sunlight. He turned over to his back and watched her twirl and laugh.  
  
'I was about to kiss her' He thought to himself.  
  
'You wanted to though' A voice said from inside.  
  
'Yes but she is only 16, and I am 18, why am I fighting with you?' He sighed inwardly. Mina had stopped moments before and was now watching him fight with himself. She just smiled and turned to the woods.  
  
"Where is everyone?" She whispered as a worried look took over her smile.  
  
  
  
Zidane stared at Baku for a moment before clearing his throat.  
  
"What" He grumbled in response. He was looking over the damage reports and wasn't very happy with the results of the kidnapping.  
  
"I would like to go look for the princess."  
  
"No." He sighed and put the papers down, "You better not set one foot outside this ship, you got that!?" Zidane grunted a reply and turned to leave. He stepped outside of the room and the door slammed behind him, boy was Baku ticked. Zidane ran down a floor and almost slammed into Blank as he came out of Vivi's room.  
  
"He is resting, but he said that he really wants to save the princess to make up for not fighting." Blank said as he passed by Zidane and headed for the stairs. Zidane leaned against the closed door and thought for a moment. He wanted to go find the princess, but the only way to do so is to quit Tantalus.  
  
"I have no choice, I must quit." He mumbled to himself. He walked slowly to the meeting room, and found that Baku was waiting for him.  
  
"I am going to find the princess, no matter what. You can't stop me because I have decided to quit." Zidane said staring down his boss.  
  
"Fine." He responded.  
  
"That's it!?"  
  
"Well no, you first have to beat me in a one-on-one battle."  
  
"I should have known." He sighed as he took out his daggers and lunged at Baku. Baku pulled out one of his two Longswords and blocked him. Zidane responded by pulling out his Iron sword and stealing it, and than jumped back a few feet. It went on with the two blocking and swinging, but Zidane finally hit Baku and finished the fight. Baku turned his back and mumbled, "It was nice having ya, you were one of the best. You are free to go."  
  
Zidane opened the door to get metal in his face.  
  
"Oh it is you." Steiner mumbled but still left the sword in its place.  
  
"Will you join me in looking for the princess and getting out of here?" Zidane asked, eyeing the sword.  
  
"Hmm.I can't trust you. Who else will go?"  
  
"I am not part of Tantalus anymore. And I think Vivi wants to go."  
  
"Fine." He responded albeit hesitantly. They both walked over to Vivi's room and entered, causing him to jump for his lying position to a sitting one.  
  
"Vivi, we came to ask if you would come with us." Zidane asked the small mage.  
  
"I want to but." Vivi mumbled as he slowly turned his head away.  
  
"Ple-" Zidane was cut off.  
  
"For the sake of Princess Garnet and all of Alexandria, I humbly ask for your assistance." Steiner said with a bow.  
  
"Ok, I will do it." Vivi slipped of the bed and followed Zidane to the door.  
  
"Master Vivi, a moment, I have an idea." Steiner said as he whispered his idea and Vivi nodded and they both raced after Zidane. They got off the crashed ship and as a going away present Blank gave Zidane a potion to save the princess with if she got the poison. They walked for a half-hour before they got to the springs that Mina and the knight were at earlier.  
  
"Look a picture of Mina in the ground, it is of her drinking the water and being healthy. She must have been here and drank the water!" Zidane said as they drank the water and headed of into the woods again.  
  
"Be careful, Kupo!" Monty the Moogle said to the three retreating figures.  
  
"This must be it, are you ready?" Vivi asked as they got to a huge trunk that was hallow, and must have been 1000 meters high.  
  
As they walked inside, they saw a huge tree thing that instead of leaves had a huge red flower. The princess was right in front of the monster, lying unconscious.  
  
"We must fight the monster and save the princess!" Steiner as he and Vivi ran into battle. Blank ran into the place and smiled at the three.  
  
"Came to help lets do this!" He yelled as Zidane and Blank ran next to the two fighters. Steiner nodded as Vivi raised his hands and summoned fire, and it incased Steiner's sword, and he attacked the monster, causing it to smother up and the woods to burst into life. Steiner picked up the princess, they ran for their life as all the monster of the forest, and even the trees attacked them. They got to a long wide pathway that led to the exit and Zidane started to fall behind with Blank. Right as he was about to be caught, Blank shoved him out of the way and got ensnared with the vines. Right before Zidane got out Blank threw a map and Zidane caught in, continuing out into the daylight. The vines closed the exit and the whole forest turned into stone including the people within it. Zidane and the rest watched in horror, and than he looked down at the map. Blank gave him the Continental Map.  
  
"Oh my god! You guys got out alive! I am so happy." Zidane heard Mina yell right before she caught him in a bear hug.  
  
"God, you act like they could have died." The knight sighed as he walked over towards the group, "Captain" He solutes him and smiled at Mina as she glared.  
  
"What a jerk!" She sighed before turning away.  
  
Well that's a rap for today! This one is so long, I wanted to get all of the Evil Forest in one chapter! Ok thanks for reading!! 


	6. 5 A story time moment

..::"God, you act like they could have died." The knight sighed as he walked over towards the group, "Captain" He solutes him and smiled at Mina as she glared.  
  
"What a jerk!" She sighed before turning away::..  
  
She slowly walked away from the group and put her hands up behind her head. Zidane smirked at the two and turned away. 'Something must have happened' He thought as he put up a tent.  
  
"Set Garnet down so we can give her the potion, than let her sleep inside the tent." Zidane ordered as Steiner set her down in the grass. Zidane poured Blanks Potion into her mouth and let Steiner set her in the tent.  
  
"I will protect the camp this night from any intruders." He swore. Zidane snickered and walked over to a rock to lean against for some rest. Vivi sat next to him and looked up at the sunset. Mina found a nice soft spot of grass and sat down looking strait ahead. She didn't focaus on anything as her hair ruffled in the warm wind. The sun set and a dark blue hue took over the sky. Bright stars were the only lights for the group as they sat in different places. Steiner and the knight were talking silently outside of the tent. Mina started to hum and burst out laughing when she realized that she was messing up so many times.  
  
"Is she ok?" Vivi asked Zidane.  
  
"I don't know." He sighed as he turned away to the stars. Vivi just shrugged and looked back over to the tent and hoped the princess would come out of this mess fine. Mina leaned back and rested, her too looking up at the stars. As everyone slowly fell asleep, even Steiner, she still sat looking at the stars.  
  
"Everything is so different, I feel so out of place here." She yawned quietly as she started to close her eyes.  
  
"Shouldn't you be asleep like everyone else?" A clam voice laughed as she jumped up in surprise. She looked up to see the knight, but she couldn't see his features. He had his helmet off and she could only tell that he had messy, dark hair.  
  
"Shouldn't you?" She countered as she leaned back to her earlier position. She felt him sit next to her but she kept her eyes glued to the sky. They sat in silence for a few moments, just looking upward at the stars.  
  
"I just wanted." They both started to say but stopped and looked at each other.  
  
"You go ahead." He whispered, and she could tell he was going to say something serious.  
  
"Ok," She paused as she sat up and pulled her knees towards her chest and looked down, "I just wanted to say sorry for how I acted before, it wasn't my place to do so." She stopped and waited for him to say something, still looking at the ground. When he did not say anything, she continued.  
  
"If you don't want to talk to me again, I won't mind with the way I acted." She finally looked up to see him looking strait ahead. She just sighed and looked back down to her feet.  
  
"Well, I guess that's it." She mumbled, moving to her feet. She turned to go but her wrist was caught. She turned to see him looking up at her with sincere eyes.  
  
"I forgive you." He smiled as he let go of her. She turned to go and took a steep, thinking for a moment before turning and sitting next to him. He watched her sit down with questioning eyes.  
  
"I guess you don't know me well, but first before I tell you about me, what's you're name?" She looked at him as he smiled down at her.  
  
"Gunner, well that's my nick-name, you don't need to know my real name right now." He said looking back in front of him. He turned as Mina laughed.  
  
"Gunner, what kind of name is that?" She laughed.  
  
"A good one. What's it matter to you?" He questioned. She just sighed and shook her head.  
  
"There is more to me than you know. A lot more." She mumbled looked down to her feet.  
  
"Well it looks like we have time, why don't you enlighten me?" He asked boldly. She looked into his eyes, and found the strength to tell her story.  
  
"Let me go back to the start. I have found out that I am not from this world. My name was Mina, I had black hair and green eyes, but no horn. You might not know of the world I am from in my old life. My planet was Earth, and I lived on the content of North America. I had just moved to a new house, and I had no friends. At my old school I was considered uncool and never had a boyfriend. I never made any friends what so ever, and when I moved to my new school, I thought it would be a break for me to start over. However, the night I moved in I suddenly appeared here, my past life left behind. Now I have no way of getting back, and I have to live." Mina suddenly stopped and looked down, her eyes swelling up with tears. She felt him put a hand on her shoulder and turned into his chest, and cried in his chest. When she calmed down a little she sniffled and looked up at him.  
  
"Thank you for listening." She mumbled tiredly.  
  
"Any time." He smiled as she fell asleep. He laid her down and got up to go back to his post by the tent. He just replayed the words she had said and only one thing came to his mind, 'I need to help her get home, no matter what.'  
  
Well I thought this would be short and a little background on Mina. I still do not know of a name for "Gunner". It is just a little nickname for now. Well now that I have break coming this week I should be able to get a lot done! Yippee! 


	7. 6 Dreams and realitys

School has been long and hard, and now it is over for two weeks! I can't wait to start writing for all of you and my goal is to get at least three chapters in and get to about them arriving at Lindblum. Lets hope I can do it. Thank you Magic Girl2 and Holly Short for the reviews, they have really helped boost my sprite in writing. Ok I guess that's it for now.  
  
..::"Any time." He smiled as she fell asleep. He laid her down and got up to go back to his post by the tent. He just replayed the words she had said and only one thing came to his mind, 'I need to help her get home, no matter what.'::..  
  
Mina slowly walked over towards the tent, watching as Steiner was sleeping while he stood. A moogle was talking hurriedly to Zidane and the princess was rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Princess, you're awake!" She said right as the moogle turned and walked over to Steiner and jumped on his foot. Steiner let out a yelp and jumped.  
  
"Nice job keeping watch Rusty." She mumbled as she walked over next to Zidane. She finally got a good look at what Garnet had on. She had a skintight body suit that was a bright orange. Underneath was a blouse that went to her wrist and huge gloves covered her hands. Her hair was held back but, this time with a small green belt. Mina noticed that almost all of her body was covered, all but her head. Steiner grumbled at her comment and watches the small moogle run off.  
  
"From the looks of this map from," Zidane paused for a moment like he couldn't say the name, "Blank, we have to go through the Ice cavern and to Dali. Than we can figure out where to go from there." Everyone nodded and turned to look at a icy gate on the far mountains, that was their next target. As everyone packed up and headed across the plains to the cavern, Mina barley brushed against Gunner and whispered so only he could hear, "You still have to tell me what you wanted to say last night." She than looked up and smiled before walking over to talk to Garnet.  
  
"All in due time." He mumbled before tugging at his armor. Everything was hot and he wished he could talk it off, but Steiner said it would be ver cold in the ice cavern and that he would want to stay hot for awhile.  
  
"I am so happy that another girl is coming with me. I don't know what would happen if I was here with all these guys!" (AN: We do!) Garnet smiled as she started conversation with Mina.  
  
"Yes, just thinking about it makes me laugh, I was with all guys for awhile. Ruby, the girl with the accent, was there but we never really met." Mina responded. Garnet stopped and turned towards Mina.  
  
"Someday you must tell me all about this world of yours. It is so intriguing, I must know." She said with a gleam in her eyes.  
  
"Of course. I will make sure of it." Garnet smiled and started to walk again. They talked about how Garnet read about the whole world, but never heard of Earth, until it was cut short as they arrived at the ice covered doors of the Ice Cavern.  
  
"Hear we go." Vivi mumbled to Mina as Zidane opened the doors and ice cold air was sent out.  
  
"God, I wish I didn't have to ware these shorts, I am gonna freeze." Mina wined and she walked in, and started to shake from the cold. Garnet just put and hand on her shoulder and silently made it a sign sating that she was there for her.  
  
"The sooner we get through this, the sooner you will be warm." Steiner said coldly as he walked ahead. As they walked through the snow covered paths in silence Mina looked at Garnet's forehead and saw a scar.  
  
"Where did you get the scar?" She whispers in Garnet's ear.  
  
"When I was little, I don't really remember how." She responded.  
  
"Oh," Mina sighed as her teeth started to chatter. She suddenly stopped short as she looked at a bar like ice shape.  
  
"Hey, Mina! Are you coming?" Zidane asked when he saw her stop.  
  
"Vivi.can you use your fire to melt this?"  
  
"I think so, let me try.FIRE!" Vivi said as he summoned fire and the ice melted to reveal a monster guarding a chest.  
  
"Just our luck." Mina mumbled as only she and Vivi could fight it. It was a blue dog monster known as a fang, it fur was always brown but the cold turned it blue.  
  
"Let's try the fire again!" Vivi yelled as he hit the fang with fire, and Mina right away shot a wave at it causing it to disappear.  
  
"I still don't understand why monster disappears." She mumbled as she opened the chest to find two daggers known as Mage Masher, "Here Zidane, these are for you." She threw them over and Zidane equipped them right away. As they kept on walking, they got to a fork in the road.  
  
"Lets go right, that must be the way out." Zidane said to the group.  
  
"Left it is." Mina yelled and they all laughed as they went left.  
  
The group got to a dead end to see a frozen statue of a Moogle.  
  
"Cool statue, wait it is alive.Vivi" Zidane said as he tapped the statue. Vivi thawed the moogle an it rewarded the group by giving them a full healing. They went back and turned left. A ringing coursed their ears as they got to a clearing.  
  
"I am so tired." Garnet said as she sat down.  
  
"Do Not fall asleep you could die of." Mina stopped talking as she slipped down a slope and fell asleep. Garnet closed her eyes and fell asleep too. Vivi looked at the two and slid down by Mina and fell asleep right away.  
  
"Princess!" Steiner said but he felt his eyes drop and succumbed to the urge to sleep, as did Gunner.  
  
"They all fell asleep.is that a bell?" Zidane, the only one awake, said as he walked to the next area. He stopped as he saw a black mage in blue clothing and a red hat.  
  
"You were sposta all asleep and die, why did you wake? I will have to destroy you myself. Sealion come forth!" He yelled as a huge crystal monster with a dragon head emerged from the icy frozen water behind the mage.  
  
"Damn, I could use some help." Zidane swore under his breath as he pulled out his new daggers.  
  
***Mina's dream***  
  
Mina opened her eyes and looked around where she was. She was floating in a dark void, with no top or bottom, just miles and miles of darkness. She looked down at her clothing and notices it was the same outfit that she wore when she was in her basement. She had on regular jeans that flared out over brown boots and a light yellow halter-top with little blue stars on the strap. Her hair was back to the black color and the horn was gone.  
  
"Am I on my way home?" She whispered as she suddenly felt her feet land on hard ground. She looked down to see a glassy water like ground, and when she looked up she saw a huge plain and a black sky with a blood red sun.  
  
"Just like those eyes."She mumbled.  
  
"So you do remember me?" the cruel voice from her basement said behind her as his cold hand fell on her shoulder. He turned with a yelp and backed away from him. He put up a hand and she stopped moving, but she still glared at him.  
  
"You would think that I care about you, but all you are it a monster." Mina spat out as he loomed over her. His eyes bore into hers as he moved in front of her.  
  
"You are in my world, girl, and you should know I could kill you in a seconed." He pulled her into a ruff, greedy kiss. She could feel how cold he was and his kiss was only for lust.  
  
***Back to regular time***  
  
Zidane was getting a beating and every time he was hit he felt his anger rise. Right as he attacked the monsters and still did not leave any damage, he snapped.  
  
"ARRRGGG!" He yelled as, yet again, he went into trance. He felt boosted with the new daggers and a new power too.  
  
"What is this?" The Black Waltz yelled as he felt a wave of power with the transformation. Zidane just smiled as he decided to finish the battle, and he sent out a wave of fire while yelling, "Tidal Flame!"  
  
***Mina's dream***  
  
Mina felt the man pull away form the kiss that promised evil, and she was set free from the invisible hold. She furiously wiped her mouth from the taste and fell down.  
  
"Looks like I must let you go, that fool boy defeated my Black Waltz. Just let me leave you to remember, I am Kuja, and there is no way you will get away now that I want you." He said, and with a wave of his hand, she fell into the darkness beneath her.  
  
***Back again***  
  
As both the Black Waltz and the Sealion disappeared, the frozen waterfall started to flow again. The ringing stopped and Zidane turned to go back to the group. As he looked, he found that Mina and Garnet were awake, but Mina was shaking violently.  
  
"Mina what happened?" Garnet said as she tried to sooth her. Zidane slid down the slope and stood next to the two.  
  
"It was him, he did it." Mina whispered to herself as she looked up. Garnet looked at Zidane who looked down at Mina.  
  
"Who?" Zidane asked.  
  
"Did what?" Garnet added.  
  
"Kuja, it was a man named Kuja who sent me here. What happened, did I fall asleep, it seemed so real." She paused and stood up, "Lets not talk about it, lets just get out of here." They all turned to see everyone wake up and they turned to the three.  
  
"I am so sorry guys, I never meant to fall asleep, are you ok." Vivi said sheepishly. Zidane just smiled and looked over to Steiner to see him glaring.  
  
"What?" Zidane yelled.  
  
"You better not have done anything to the princess." He said and turned to walk ahead. Gunner just shook his head and followed. Garnet walked with Mina and ran ahead to the opening.  
  
"Look a way out!" She yelled and her and Mina ran out into the sun. The guys followed.  
  
"Must all girls be morning people." Zidane commented and made Vivi snicker.  
  
"You know, a lot of people will be looking for you." Mina said turning towards the princess.  
  
"I know, so she need a new name. So pick one out princess." Zidane said as he looked at the princess.  
  
"No you cannot!" Steiner yelled as her pushed Zidane away from the princess.  
  
"Put a cork in it Rusty!" Mina yelled as she turned to the plains that were being overlooked by the mountain ledge they were on.  
  
"Zidane what is the weapon that you use?" Mina asked. Zidane turned and looked at her with a confused look.  
  
"A dagger why?"  
  
"Garnet, how about the name Dagger?" Garnet stopped completely and than turned towards Mina.  
  
"Sure that is a great name!" Garnet, or now Dagger, chirped and hugged Mina.  
  
"Ok than, well where are we going next?" Gunner said as he looked at the two girls.  
  
"Dali, that is the next destination."  
  
Well, that is it for now, I guess if you didn't know what the guy was in Mina's basement, now you do. Ok it is break and I am ready to write, and from the looks of it I am gonna be past my goal. 


	8. 7 Dali kidnapping

..::"Garnet, how about the name Dagger?" Garnet stopped completely and than turned towards Mina. "Sure that is a great name!" Garnet, or now Dagger, chirped and hugged Mina. "Ok than, well where are we going next?" Gunner said as he looked at the two girls. "Dali, that is the next destination."::..  
  
Right as Mina set a foot on the dirt path of the town, Dali, she felt her horn start to hum. She watched as everyone walked into the Dali inn and smiled to herself as a hidden power took control.  
  
"You guys find a room, I will get one later." She smiled again as the power spoke for her. Her voice was colder and had little emotion and her eyes turned a hard green. Gunner looked at her, with worry in his eyes, and waited outside.  
  
"Mina, you ok?" He asked slowly as he watched her carefully. She closed her eyes to slits and smiled slowly.  
  
"I am fine, do not worry about me. I just have a little job to do." She said slowly and turned her back on him as a signal for him to leave her alone. He just stayed silent as she turned and walked down the path and further into the town.  
  
The man at the inn watched the travelers go into the room with curiosity in his sleepy eyes.  
  
"One got out. How can that be? Oh well I will tell the mayor tomorrow about this incident." He mumbled as he fell back asleep. A cat looked at him than jumped out the window with a small meow.  
  
  
  
Mina felt Gunner's eyes bore into her back as she walked towards the huge windmill in the town center. She knew that he would follow her, but she wanted him to see.  
  
'This girl was too easy. Once she collects the 12 Zodiac coins, and is able to summon their power, I will bring her to me so I can gain the power and become invincible.' The voice of the raw power thought inside her head.  
  
'Why do this to me? Can you not just collect them yourself?' The only true part left in Mina's control, only her thoughts, said back to the voice. The only response was silence as she entered the windmill and looked around on the floor. A small gleaming coin caught her eye and her body grabbed for it. Suddenly her horn glowed and she gained control of her body, only to fall on her hands and knees. She let a tear slip down her cheek as she looked over the coin.  
  
On the coin was a small mountain ram sitting on a ledge of a mountain looking over a burning field. The coin was about the size of her palm, and as she turned it over, words were inscribed in the bronze coloring;  
  
The story of 12 Zodiacs. The 11 Zodiacs pondered. How best to catch Virgo's Heart? Aries headed east.  
  
Mina felt a power like no other in the small coin, and compared it with the one on her necklace. Both had similar features, and the writing was the same penmanship, but now the coin on the neck started to communicate to her head in silence. She suddenly knew that at midnight she had to go to an deserted place and pray for the sprite of Aries, which was in the coin, to join her. After she could summon him in battle. She placed the coin in a pocket on the side of her blouse and turned to leave. Right as she opened the door, she ran into Gunner. Before she fell back from the impact he grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.  
  
"Mina, what are you doing, are you ok?" He asked her, worry evident in his voice.  
  
"Yeah, just peachy.why?" She asked looking up into his eyes. He just let out a long sigh and let her go.  
  
"When you came into town you changed. The others might not have noticed, but I did. Your eyes turned to steel and you personality turned towards the worst. Please tell me what happened." Mina just looked down at her feet.  
  
"I don't know, but we need to go if we want to get a room." She said brushing past him and towards the inn. He just shook his head and followed her. As Mina looked at the inn owner Gunner walked into the main room.  
  
"I am sorry Miss, there is only room for one more person. I can suggest going to the bar and staying there." He mumbled looking at the angry slivered haired girl.  
  
"Fine, ok Gunner," she turned towards him, "You are gonna stay here, no buts." Mina turned and left leaving Gunner standing there. He went into the room to find that everyone had a bed, and he claimed the last one telling everyone that Mina would be all right.  
  
  
  
Mina stood in the center of the marking in the grass, waiting for the moonlight to land on her, knowing that at the moment she must start her prayer and summon Aries. The moon suddenly came out of cover from the clouds and she was drenched in it's light. She fell to her knees and pulled her Gates out, crossing them so the were over her chest as the top tips of a X.  
  
"Oh Aries, lonely Zodiac, grant thy power onto thee." She whispered. Her horn started to glow as she repeated the sentence and the coin appeared in front of her. Going to a standing position she raised her arms and yelled out again, "Oh Aries, lonely Zodiac, grant thy power onto thee." A huge light covered her and flew upward into the moon, leaving her to glow for a few moments, when the glowing stopped a ram appeared before her in a ghost like state.  
  
"Mina, summoned from a far land, I am Aries. I am at your service, and no matter what, I will always be with you. Even without that coin." It said in a strong voice. Mina touched it to feel warm fur for a moment until it turned into a light and combined with her horn. Everything went dark again as if nothing happened. Mina smiled in the darkness and walked back into town, and new friend within her helping her every step of the way.  
  
***The next day***  
  
Zidane slowly work up to an annoying poking in his side gut.  
  
"Stop it." He mumbled as he turned away, but he fell off the bed in the process. A bell like laughed entered his ears as he opened his eyes to see Mina looking down at him.  
  
"Common sleepy head, you're the last person in town to wake up!" She said as she laughed again and helped him up.  
  
"Where is everyone?"  
  
"They left why?"  
  
"Just to let you know I woke up earlier to an angle singing.and you think I am crazy!" He finished looking up at her.  
  
"No.No, It is just that I heard the singing. I do not know who it was, but the song was lovely. Let's go find everyone!" Mina yelled as she pulled the confused Zidane out of the room by his tail.  
  
"OUCH! That hurts, I will look for Dagger and Vivi, you look for Steiner and Gunner, ok?" Zidane yelled as he pulled his tail away from her.  
  
"Ok" She nodded as they separated.  
  
  
  
  
  
Vivi was looking at the inside of the room he somehow got into. He was just walking around when he was taken away. The villagers were acting so weird around him. He felt a tear come to his eye as he thought about what happened.  
  
***Flashback Time***  
  
Vivi walked down the street and noticed how every person in Dali was avoiding him. It did hurt but he had to make sure it was not his mind. A group of kids were on the other side of a well in the middle of the road. He took a step towards them and they took one back.  
  
"Hmmm." He said as he took another step and they ran off. He bowed his head and turned to be caught and a hand was around his mouth, he was pulled away into darkness.  
  
***Back to real time***  
  
"Zidane, please help me." He whispered.  
  
"Shut-up mage, how you got out, I don't know." A man said turning towards the scared Vivi. Vivi just whimpered and backed away to a corner.  
  
Zidane entered the weapon shop to see Dagger talking to a local. He put a hand on a shoulder and pulled her out the door, but not before buying new weapons.  
  
"They are so nice here!" Dagger said as they went back towards the inn.  
  
"Dagger, Vivi is missing we got to go find him." Zidane said turning the princess towards him.  
  
"Yes, let's go than." The princess said her face turning serious. They both searched the windmill to find a passage down. The looked down and jumped into the darkness.  
  
  
  
  
  
Mina was looking at the garden with interest and looked out to the field she stood on the night before.  
  
"So it is an landing pad for ships. Cool!" She said as she ran out to go look at the ship.  
  
"Kids these days, change their minds every day." An old lady mumbled who was tending to her garden. They walked past a coffin box and stopped as they hear whimpering.  
  
"Vivi, you in there?" Dagger asked as she knocked on the box.  
  
"Dagger, Zidane? Please let me out!" Vivi wined as the two broke the box and he told how he got there. They ran past an assembly line of eggs and stopped when they saw a whole room of grown up Vivi's.  
  
"Are they your friends?" Dagger asked as they looked at one.  
  
"Someone is coming, jump!" Zidane said as they jumped and were packaged in boxes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dagger and Zidane his behind a large box and watched as Vivi was taken away to a room.  
  
"We got to follow them and save Vivi." Dagger said as she walked after the men, and Zidane followed.  
  
  
  
"Miss Mina!" Steiner yelled as he ran to the sliver girl that was standing in the grassy fields.  
  
"Oh, hi Steiner, Gunner." Mina said as she looked at a big box.  
  
"Have you seen the princess?" He said, and Mina could tell her was worried.  
  
"I can't say I have, oh, help me push this box over, there are people in it." Mina said turning towards them. The knights didn't complain as they pushed the box over and out popped Vivi, Zidane and Dagger.  
  
"I knew someone was in there!" Mina laughed as the three looked up at her.  
  
"Thanks" they all replied at the same time. Mina just laughed and helped them up. Suddenly a voice yelled from behind the group, "So you are the one who beat Black Waltz no.1. Well I am Black Waltz no. 2. You won't get away this time!" They all turned to see a taller version of the mage Zidane fought in the Ice Cavern.  
  
"You fought him" Mina asked as she turned towards the ship, "Hurry, the ship will leave without us!"  
  
"You and Gunner go and hold it for as long as you can, we will fight this guy and meet you there!" Zidane yelled and the two nodded and ran over to the ship. Zidane heard a yelp but ignored it as he got ready for battle.  
  
Two in three days!! I am so happy. I have decided to make a book for each disk. Therefore, If you read this story you have to read the others. Ok that is it, thanks for reading! 


	9. 8 Time for Aries

IMPORTANT INFO!! READ THIS!  
  
Just to answer a question I got from people who I let read this at school and from on of my reviews, oh please review I really need it, there is confusion about how the Gates work. Mina is the first person known to use them that is still alive. Therefore, the group doesn't really know what the true use of it is. The Gate's power is based on the person who uses it, so it depends on the person for the power. Mina connects her summoning powers with the Gates to send out a wave of energy that can damage an enemy. So really she uses her inner power to fight and the Gates are just a physical item used to transfer the energy into power. Kinda confusing but that is why throughout the whole story she will only have those. Ok enough of that! Let's get this story started.   
  
..::"You and Gunner go and hold it for as long as you can, we will fight this guy and meet you there!" Zidane yelled and the two nodded and ran over to the ship. Zidane heard a yelp but ignored it as he got ready for battle::..  
  
"Princess, stand back while I exterminate these fools." The waltz yell but the princess only glared and took out her rod. Vivi summoned thunder and barely left a scratch.  
  
"You call that thunder!" The waltz yelled as he sent out a wave of a stronger thunder spell that hit the whole group. They all fell back and Zidane was the first to recover. He ran full speed at the waltz just as Vivi and Steiner teamed up and used a fire sword attack. Both hit dead on and the Waltz fell back a few steps.  
  
"You are very lucky brats. But there is one waltz left." He said before disappearing. Dagger cured the whole group and they all looked at Zidane.  
  
"What?" He asked stepping away. Steiner looked at him for a moment and said, "You fought one thing like that and didn't tell us?" Zidane was about to say something but they heard the ship's engine roar to life.  
  
"Hey, hurry!" Mina yelled from the bridge of the ship, looking down at them. She sent down a rope ladder and every one climbed up. Right as they got up the ship started to move and fly. Vivi stood at the edge of the ship looking like he was about to barf.  
  
"Uh, Vivi." Mina slowly started to say. He turned towards her and his eyes looked as if they shined a bright green.  
  
"Yes." He said slowly as if he talked he would throw up on everybody. Mine looked around as five pairs of eyes were on her.  
  
"There are other black mages on board." She finally stated. Vivi jumped and ran through the control room and towards the bottom of the deck. She smiled as Dagger, Steiner and Zidane followed closely behind the small kid. Zidane took over the controls and set it for auto towards Lindblum. Mina walked over to the edge of the ship and let the soft air blow her hair softly. Gunner smiled and rested next to her.  
  
"Mina, I was wondering," He paused to find the right words, "Would you come with Dagger, Steiner and I back to Alexandria." She blinked and turned towards him.  
  
"I am so sorry, I can't. I really need to stay with Zidane, I mean, I really am in his protection and I am a thief in training." She said and turned quickly away towards the horizon and away from his dark eyes. They stood in silence for a few minutes and Mina started to bite her lip in embarrassment.  
  
"I understand." Gunner simply said and he turned to join the others in the ship. Mina looked at her feet as a tear slipped. She wiped it, made sure no more would come with the turmoil that was inside her, and she looked back up. What she saw made her scream. Another black waltz was looking right at her, flying on huge blue wings. She backed up and stared it down, wondering if the others heard her. Its read eyes looked down at her as he summoned a huge ball of fire.  
  
"Some one help!" She yelled and took a small crate and slammed it to the floor to make noise go through for the others. Vivi ran up first and gasped back up and knocking the door shut to the control room. The others pounded on it because they were locked in.  
  
"Vivi! Looks like it is you and me buddy." She smiled as she whispered a sentence only he could hear, "Don't worry, I have a trick up my sleeve." She pulled out her gates but stopped as she saw what was about to happen.  
  
The black waltz took the fireball and hit the crates containing all of the other mages. Some boxes fell in flames, others burst open and all of the mages flew downward in the sky to their deaths. Vivi yelled as he looked over to see them falling, Mina just closed her eyes to get the pain in her heart to go away. She opened them when she felt Vivi send a wave of energy. She saw Vivi in a different state, he was glowing yellow and pulsing with power.  
  
"Trance, Zidane told me about this.this could be helpful." She turned towards the Waltz and her and Vivi charged into battle. Vivi felt the power to send out waves of two spells at a time, causing a nice amount of damage.  
  
"Poor fools! Feel the pain." He yelled and sent a silence spell on Vivi.  
  
"Mina I can't summon!" Vivi yelled as he tried again, his trance warred down to nothing.  
  
"But I can!" She yelled. Everyone watched as Mina threw her Gates up in the air, spun around and caught one above her head and one behind her back. She moved her arms to a horizontal action even and yelled out, "Aires! Help me fight!" They all gasped as suddenly a ram appeared and they were standing on a huge mountain.  
  
"She summoned! She is a summoned!" Dagger yelled in amazement.  
  
"Lonely anguish!" Mina yelled and the ram hit the mountain causing boulders to fall on the Waltz. Every thing disappeared and they were on the ship, the Waltz fell of the ship. Mina fell to her knees and the group burst out of the room and crowded around her. She toned out the talking as she heard a buzzing noise.  
  
"Zidane, fly. Go!" She yelled as she got to her feet.  
  
"Why?" He asked.  
  
"The Waltz is still alive, and he is coming after us!" She turned and pointed to a small speedboat like ship flying after them. They all ran inside but Gunner and Vivi. Gunner pulled out a steel bow and arrow set and Vivi set the arrows on fire. They shot it at the Waltz as the group sped towards a gate entrance towards Lindblum. The ship was beat up and right as they got to the gate it started to close.  
  
"No, hurry Zidane." Mina yelled. Dagger watched the gate get smaller.  
  
"We can beat him out and block him from getting us!" Dagger yelled. Zidane looked at her and smiled as he went as fast as he could. Dagger held on as the boat rocked and they almost were caught. Darkness took over the ship and as light came back Vivi and Gunner were inside the cabin and they were past the gate.  
  
"He got caught!" Vivi cheered. They all smiled at each other and headed off towards the huge city of Lindblum, the really didn't know that their journey was just starting.  
  
Ok this is a short on, BUT, the Cargo airship was a shot little part. In addition, Lindblum will be so long it will take up two to three chapters. Ok thanks for reading and PLEASE RESPOND hehe! 


	10. 9 Lindblum entrance

..::"He got caught!" Vivi cheered. They all smiled at each other and headed off towards the huge city of Lindblum, the really didn't know that their journey was just starting::..  
  
As they entered the docks of Lindblum Mina and Vivi stared wide eyed in awe. They both have never seen a city like the one they were in before. Mina watched as a man with a long robe on and a white beard walk over to their ship and looked at the ship disapprovingly. Mina tugged on Vivi's robe and pointed to the scowling man. Zidane and the others had yet to come out of the ship and the man was staring at the two. He walked over to the two and looked at Mina. His eyes widened as he saw her horn. Mina laughed and touched it, causing it to glow for a moment before turning back to normal.  
  
"Never seen a horn before?" Mina smiled before hearing a loud gasp behind her. She turned in a wave of sliver to see the princess smiling at the man.  
  
"Are you giving my friends a hard time, Minster?" She asked with a smile. The man looked at the princess before he was incased in a hug. Steiner and Gunner stood doing the Alexandria solute, and Zidane just leaned against the ship and yawned.  
  
"Princess! It is so good to see that you are ok! Regent Cid is hoping to see you, all of you. He heard about the play non-stop from that witch days ago. Please follow me." He said in a huff before ushering the princess down the small bridge towards the main rooms of the castle. Everyone followed but Mina, who stood back feeling that she wasn't part of the group and watched them walk away without looking back. She just smiled and shook her head and looked up to see Vivi looking back to her.  
  
"Miss Mina, are you coming?" The small boy asked as he waited behind the group. Mina smiled and walked over to him, resting her hand on his hat.  
  
"No, it really is not my place to join you guys, go ahead and don't worry about me. Tell everyone I went to go find a place to eat." Mina said and she pushed the small boy in the direction of the group. He looked at her before rushing to catch up. Mina turned at walked through some rooms and walked out to a huge balcony. She laughed as the wind tickled and flew all around her before she looked out towards the huge city. She wasn't very high from the ground and she saw a mattress she could land on, so she jumped, right into a huge crowd of people. They all backed away from her as she spead off towards the bar that was down the street. She stopped as she looked in a mirror to see that her ears were different, the looked like that were almost pointed in some way, but she just brushed as she saw a black cloak for only 200 gil. She quickly bought it and pulled it on so she wouldn't get any unwanted attention. She slowly walked into the bar and sat down by a person that was dressed in red. She glanced at the person to see that they had a mouse tail and face. The person's dark, purple eyes turned towards Mina, studied her for a moment before turning back to the drink, and ordered another.  
  
"Now people won't stare at me for my horn." She smiled as got her drink and took a swig of the bitter fluid. Mina could tell that the rat lady had heard because eyes got fixed on her again.  
  
"Excuse me, did you say you had a horn?" The rat asked and Mina smiled under the protection of her cloak.  
  
"Yes, I did" Mina stated before pulling her cloak down and showing her horn to the fellow, "I am Mina, and you are?" The rat laughed at the younger girl and put out a fuzzy gray hand.  
  
"I am Freya Crescent, a royal dragon knight." She said as she pushed back her long white hair from her eyes. Her red hat was bellowing to a point with two small "wings" on the sides and what looked to be holes for eyes. Her red coat flared out naturally on all ends and a flag like cloth was draped across her chest. Her tail had an orange bow the same color as her skintight pants. She had no shoes on and no gloves so her hands and feet are full of fur.  
  
"I have never seen you here before, what brings you to thins place?" Freya asked and Mina went into the story of which she was and they talked for what seemed like hours. As the sun came up an angry Zidane, who never noticed the mouse hybrid that stared wide-eyed at him dragged Mina from her chair. When he dragged her all the way up to his room in the hotel, he pushed her down towards her bed.  
  
"Well, have a good time?" He asked. She laughed and smiled at him, her eyes starting to droop.  
  
"Anytime is a good time my friend, any time." She said with a yawn. She fell asleep and Zidane just shook his head before stealing the bed across from hers, and falling into a slumber of his own.  
  
The next day Zidane woke to find that Mina was gone, and he didn't know where everyone else was, so he decided to look around. He ran over towards the bar where he thought Mina might be. As he walked in he saw her talking to the same person, and he watched as the person turned towards him. He slowly walked over and sat next to Mina, ordering soup of the day.  
  
"Hello Zidane, can't even say hello to an old friend I see." Freya said turning towards the boy. He smiled as a response.  
  
"What brings you to Lindblum? Weren't you staying as a knight in Burmecia?" He asked as he looked down at the puke green soup.  
  
"I have come for the competition in search of a friend." She replied and Mina looked back and forth from the two. She smiled as she realized they were old friends who need to catch up.  
  
"I am going to look for Vivi, talk to you later Zidane! Freya, it was nice to see you again." Mina said as she stood up and pulled her cloak over her head.  
  
"Anytime, maybe we will fight alongside each other, I would love to see those Zodiacs!" Freya said as Mina walked out the door with a wave. Freya just smiled and turned to talk with Zidane.  
  
  
  
Vivi looked at the nut in his hand and smiled at his luck. He was able to get it free from the shop owner and he left before she could change her mind. He looked around and noticed all of the 'Festival of the hunt' posters.  
  
"I hope I don't have to do that. I wouldn't win." He sighed as he walked over to the trains that connected the three districts. He was in the Business District, but the other two are the Industrial District and the Theater District. He rested at the castle over night and left to find Zidane, but he couldn't. Mina said she was going to be at a bar but he still could not find that either. Right as he was about to get on the train someone ran out and bumped him to the ground, causing his nut to roll away.  
  
"Vivi! I am so sorry." Mina gasped as she grabbed his nut and helped him up, "Here is your nut." She smiled as he took it and she started to walk away. He followed and tugged at her sleeves.  
  
"Miss. Mina, I have been looking all over for you. You must come back to the castle, Mr. Cid wants to see your Eidolon." He squeaked. She stopped and looked down at him.  
  
"Eidolon? What in the world is that?" She said with a shake of her head.  
  
"Your Aries." He responded.  
  
"Oh, I see. Lets go." The both walked away towards the huge castle. As she entered the room, she saw a man that looked like a mix between a frog and a bug. She just ignored it and smiled slightly.  
  
"You called?" She said after he watched a moment. Cid noticed her voice did not falter and she must have not been from this world.  
  
"Please, tell me of this 'Aries' that you have power over." He said slowly. She blinked and thought over her words carefully, and the man watched.  
  
"I don't know," They all gasped and almost fell over, "Aries can tell you about his life!" She said as she jumped around and stopped in the middle of the room. Every one backed away as far as they could and Cid watched calmly.  
  
"Go ahead." He stated and Minister Artania jumped to his side.  
  
"Are you sure of this." He stated.  
  
"Yes." Cid answered and watched as Mina looked her hands together and prayed for a summoning.  
  
That is very short, but next will be Aires's story of the Zodiac. Review, cuz I forgot to turn off the no anonymous entries, so sorry. REVIEW PLEASE! 


	11. 10 A short little history

Back to school again. I am so glad I made my goal of getting this far. I am also glad that you are all reading this and umm.Reviews (hint, hint. nudge, nudge!) In addition, I really am sorry if I miss things, I just got the game from BD and am starting it up so forgive me. Ok, so on with the story!  
  
..::"I don't know," They all gasped and almost fell over, "Aries can tell you about his life!" She said as she jumped around and stopped in the middle of the room. Every one backed away as far as they could and Cid watched calmly. "Go ahead." He stated and Minister Artania jumped to his side. "Are you sure of this." He stated. "Yes." Cid answered and watched as Mina looked her hands together and prayed for a summoning::..  
  
Beads of sweat started to appear on Mina's forehead as she called into the void of her heart and soul to the sleeping sprite. She felt the world around her dissolve away into a dark world with 12 lights shining down from an unknown place above. She looked around each one, for they were circled around her, and her eyes caught the soft ones of Aries. The ram's horns shined a gold color in the light and its fur shined a sliver. He walked over to Mina and nuzzled her with his nose and she looked up to him, petting him softly.  
  
"Why have you come master?" It asked, lips not moving.  
  
"Would you come out and tell everyone about you, and I would like to too." She asked softly.  
  
"When you ever need me, all you have to do is call, and I will come running to your rescue. You know that, though it is nice when you visit." He responded walked back to his spot in the light. For a moment, Mina could see him as a man, short sliver gray hair, and his soft eyes. She shook it off and smiled.  
  
"How is it that I am here?"  
  
"Your body in the real world is in the praying state, but your mind is here with me, in your summoner soul. No one but you and very wise summoners' can reach this place deep in your heart. This is where the Eidolons rest while you don't need us." He smiled as she stood and looked upward.  
  
"I guess I get that. Please come out soon." She said with a wave and felt herself being pulled into the light.  
Zidane slowly walked into the castle, not having anything else to do, and headed towards Cid's room. He stood waiting for the elevator right as Gunner and Steiner came up right next to him. They did not say a word as they made their way up and towards the room. Right as they entered, they saw Mina standing there with a startled Vivi watching and three royalties looking amused.  
  
As Mina's eyes snapped open she looked around, Gunner, Zidane, Dagger, and Steiner had joined the small group and were all looking at her. She smiled and held out a hand. A small glow formed and than light flooded the room, when it died down and everyone could see, Aries had made yet another stunning entrance. Mina smiled and everyone just looked on with amazement.  
  
"So, you want me to tell you the story of the Zodiac Eidolons. Am I right?" He looked on at everyone and bleated.  
  
"Oh! Co-could you?" Cid stumbled as he hiccuped and flew a few feet in the air.  
  
"Well, Aires, do tell!" Mina piped up after a long moment of silence. The ram turned towards her and attempted to smile.  
  
"Long ago, as you should know, all Eidolons lived in a land of peace. It was before the mist came to the continents and was high in the mountains. Each group of Eidolons were meant to be in a set, and as one was summoned, the others connected to it are the only ones that can be used so forth." He paused for a moment to make sure everyone was with him, "A terrible war occurred with the Eidolons and a dark force. The war went on for decades with no changes, until it got so out of hand that the eidolons felt they had no choice but the seal all of the forces involved in the war and send them off. This also included them. The eidolons looked for a place where those believed in them and could be the only ones to set them free, which led them to Maiden Sari."  
  
"Wow, so that is how they got to Maiden Sari." Dagger/Garnet mumbled deep in thought.  
  
"So, they sealed themselves into symbols like crystals and ancient items, hiding in the elder's house. They were all safe until the attack the destroyed the small town, and they had to leave again. They could not afford to be caught again so they separated all around the world. No one knows where all of them are." He continued, "One group of Eidolons, known as the Zodiac, hid themselves in coins, and I was found by Mina. I am Aries, a Zodiac Eidolon."  
  
"So every Eidolon is hidden in a item? What about the ones the princess has?" Zidane said speaking for once.  
  
"They are from crystals, like garnet and ruby. You just have to learn to summon them and than they will be with you until your sixteen and you want them out." He responded. Mina sat down a little drowsy for a moment and sighed.  
  
"I am so dizzy." She mumbled and Aries turned towards her.  
  
"I must go because I am taking energy from Mina to be here, it takes a while before she learns to summon my power with out using hers. It is like that with all Eidolons." He bowed to the princess and turned into the bright light, which combined with Mina's horn before disappearing. Mina lost her balance right before fainting, and Gunner being the closest, caught her.  
  
"Take her to the guest room to recover, and I need to talk to Zidane and Vivi, so could you two please stay behind." Cid commanded as everyone left the three of them to talk.  
"What did you need sir?" Vivi asked.  
  
"I would like you to think about entering the competition, it would be good to see your skills in fighting." He said with his back turned towards them. Zidane imeaditly saw this as an opportunity to get stronger and nodded his head vigorously. Vivi just thought for a moment and agreed.  
  
"Good, prepare because it is tomorrow. Just meet here in the morning and I will tell you the rules and such. You may leave now." The boys nodded and turned to walk away.  
  
(O.M.G. I just got a killer idea! However, you need to tell me if you like it. So Mina is going with Zidane and can (1) Stay with him the whole time, or (2) Stop half way and go find Dagger. So tell me and please tell me to have Quina meet Zidane or Dagger. Please forgive me for forgetting things, I cant really put everything because I don't have the game, only the guide. Sorry for the interruption.)  
  
Gunner slowly set Mina down on a queen size bed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. He smiled and pulled the blankets up around her and turned to go, glancing back at the sleeping girl.  
  
"I am going to miss ya, maybe we will meet up again. Goodbye." He whispered knowing that he won't see her again because the next day they were going to flee out of the kingdom.  
  
That's it, I know it is short, but I wanted to update after so long. Hope you like it. 


End file.
